Letter To The Editor – Flying With The Eagles

Editor,
The Fraternal Order of Eagles has long been an organization built on liberty, truth, justice and equality, striving to make the lives of American and Canadian citizens better every step of the way. Never were those beliefs more clear than on August 14, 1935.
As President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s pen graced the pages of the Social Security Act, allowing government assistance to the elderly for the first time, the mission of the Eagles became more than just a goal. It became a reality.
The Fraternal Order of Eagles rallied behind the bill, encouraging legislators on a state and national level to support the changes and allow a better life for those who may have otherwise found it unattainable. What many saw on the surface to be simply an aid to the elderly had effects that ran much deeper. Old age pensions allowed workers to retire earlier and still have the comfort of income to maintain a suitable quality of life. Such a privilege allowed openings for younger adults to enter the workforce in well paying jobs.
Those unable to find work were afforded the ability to continue to maintain a sense of positivity and provide for their families. During one of the most harsh and unforgiving economic periods in American history, The Fraternal Order of Eagles reached out and became an integral part of the nation’s recovery.
“I have long observed with satisfaction the sponsorship by the F.O.E. of social justice legislation both in the states and in the nation,” President Roosevelt wrote in a letter to Past Grand Worthy President John M. Morin. “The records for more than a quarter of a century bear witness to the campaigns of education conducted, the literature distributed and the addresses delivered by your socially-minded Order. These efforts have borne, and are bearing gratifying results. Our countrymen owe the Eagles good will for their unselfish services.”
As the United States once again fights through a period of economic turmoil, we encourage citizens to look back on the fight to make Social Security a reality and use those ideals and beliefs as a road map to make it through yet another crisis.
After 76 years, Social Security remains a key piece of the American life – much like The Fraternal Order of Eagles.
The Fraternal Order of Eagles, more than 850,000 members strong, is a proud and giving organization. From our $25 million Diabetes Research Center to our daily work in communities across North America, we are People Helping People. Find out more at www.foe.com or better yet, come join us in one of our many Aeries or Auxiliaries.
Sincerely,
Mel Fry
Grand Worthy President
Carlisle, Pa. #1299